2 dead, 17 injured in Istanbul building collapse

ISTANBUL — Turkey's state-run news agency says two people, including one child, died Friday and several others were injured when a building collapsed in Istanbul.

The Anadolu Agency said an abandoned six-story building collapsed on people passing by.

Mehmet Akbas, 60, and Mehmet Ozdener, 5, were killed. Mehmet Ozdener's twin brother Ahmet was among the 17 wounded who were rushed to hospitals.

Rescue teams are searching for survivors in the rubble with the help of dogs.

The agency says surrounding buildings also suffered significant damage in the collapse.

Ali Taskin Balaban, the Zeytinburnu district governor, told Anadolu the building had been evacuated after officials decided two years ago to demolish it.

It's the second building accident this week in Istanbul. On Tuesday, one person died and 10 were injured during a funeral near Istanbul's airport when a mosque canopy collapsed because of high winds and heavy snow.